New details have emerged of Israel’s occupation of a Golan Heights buffer zone since Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad fell from power this month.
Assad’s fall also coincided with a change in U.S. language on Israeli activity in the zone from several weeks prior, VOA has learned.
Under the ceasefire, the area was intended to separate, or be free of, Syrian and Israeli forces.
UNDOF has called Israel’s latest actions in the zone a “violation” of the ceasefire agreement.
The area is home to 11 Syrian towns and villages, with tens of thousands of residents.
Since 1974, UNDOF has monitored Syrian and Israeli ceasefire compliance from around 50 positions inside the zone and just outside it.
In a Tuesday briefing, the U.N. secretary-general’s spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, provided more details on how Israel’s occupation of the buffer zone has impacted UNDOF. »